Disability Outreach

Reaching out, assisting, meeting needs . . . this is the focus of the Plymouth Public Library’s Outreach program. Outreach provides services to individuals who would otherwise not have access to the library, such as people with disabilities, those who are homebound, or who reside in a healthcare or retirement facility.

Our goal is to make library services available to as many people in the community as possible, and our staff is dedicated to carrying out this important mission. Since opening at its new home in 1991, the Plymouth Public Library has worked to ensure that the best possible programs and services are provided to individuals with visual, hearing, mobility or developmental disabilities. From the start, we have included large-print reading material, magnifying systems, disability resource information and other offerings so this important segment of our community would have a rewarding experience at their library.

In 2000, Plymouth Public Library was awarded a two-year grant to improve its services to people with disabilities. Funded through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with federal funds from the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), this grant enabled the library to supplement its programs and collections with new materials and equipment, making it one of the South Shore’s premier information resources for people with disabilities.

Today, Plymouth Public Library leads the way in serving all members of the community. Our adaptive technology workstation provides improved accessibility to the digitized world.

We are proud of the services the Library offers to the community as a result of the LSTA grant. Our goal is to continue to provide innovative programs and services that enhance lifelong learning for everyone, regardless of ability.

ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY

  • Enables people with disabilities to access library resources, such as the online catalog and internet.

  • Software includes JAWS® and Kurzweil® 1000/3000 so blind users can hear what is on the screen and learning-disabled users can see and hear written material at the same time, while the MAGic® program magnifies text for visually impaired users.

  • Equipped with large-print keyboard, flatbed scanner, laser printer, trackball mouse interface and headphone

  • Contact the Outreach Librarian at 508-830-4250 (ext. 219) for more information or to schedule an appointment

VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

  • Large-print books (fiction and nonfiction)

  • Audiobooks on cassette and CD, including the latest fiction, classics and nonfiction titles

  • Descriptive videos for children and adults

  • Access to Talking Books from Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library

  • Large-type periodicals, including Reader’s Digest and New York Times Large-Type Weekly

  • Hand-held magnifiers for home and in-library use

  • Magni-Cam low-vision magnifier device for in-library use

  • Portable color magnifier for in-home use

HEARING IMPAIRMENTS

  • TTY (text teletype machine) with printer for communicating by telephone with library staff: 508-747-5882

  • Sound amplification system with individual listening devices in the Otto Fehlow Room

  • Portable sound amplification system

  • Close-captioned videos for children and adults

LIMITED MOBILITY

  • Automatic door opener at front entrance

  • Designated handicapped parking spaces near front and side entrances

  • Elevator to second floor

  • Handicapped accessible restrooms on both floors

  • Aisles wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs

  • Sit-down computer terminals to accommodate wheelchairs

  • Bookstands and reaching devise (grabber)

  • Wheelchair for in-library use

  • Ramp at side entrance

OTHER SERVICES

  • Outreach to homebound Plymouth residents who are unable to visit the library due to physical limitation or a temporary or permanent disability. Library materials can be delivered and returned free of charge via U.S. Postal Service. Contact the Outreach Dept. at 508-830-4250 ext. 219 for more information

  • Reference services available by telephone, TTY, fax, or email during regular library hours

  • Catalog assistance: reference librarians will search the online catalog, check shelves, place reserves, request interlibrary loans and hold materials for individuals

SPECIALIZED RESOURCES

  • Reference books on service to people with disabilities

  • Circulating books, videos and audiobooks on topics of interest to people with disabilities, including personal narratives, architectural adaptations, medical issues, social services and more

ONLINE MAGAZINES